Why Do Containers Fall off Containerships? Madrid Bridge | What's Going on With Shipping?

Why Do Containers Fall off Containerships? Madrid Bridge
January 21, 2022
What's Going on With Shipping?
On this episode of What's Going on With Shipping, host Sal Mercogliano - Chair of the Department of History, Criminal Justice, and Political Science, former merchant mariner, and instructor of Maritime History, Security and Industry Policy - discusses the issue of why containers fall off ships and we are seeing an increase in container collapses. Specifically, we examine the case of MV Madrid Bridge of ONE sailing from Singapore, via Gibraltar, to New York; then diverted to Charleston and now Savannah.
#container #containership #supplychain #logistics #shipping #gCaptain #madridbridge #oneapus
www.patreon.com/wgowshipping
Photos Show Madrid Bridge Cargo Collapse as Ship Unexpectedly Departs Charleston
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ONE-Operated MV Madrid Bridge Loses Containers in Atlantic Ocean
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Madrid Bridge Will Proceed to Charleston After North Atlantic Cargo Loss
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Madrid Bridge to Discharge Damaged Containers in Charleston, ONE Says
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It’s Been One Year Since ONE Apus’ Epic Cargo Loss
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BCMEA Container Lashing Orientation Video -Lashing 101
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Maritime Safety Bulletin
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[@racrx7]

As a crane operator @ the Port of Charleston where the Madrid Bridge discharged its damaged containers, I’d like to offer up some corrections and observations. Twist locks with pull tabs are automatically locked when the container is placed on top of another, providing they are correctly inserted into the corner castings. The tabs are strictly to unlock the twist locks. (There was a period of double pull tab twistlocks that could be both locked and unlocked with rods, but that proved confusing and inconsistent). Todays super Post Panamax ships, that stack containers 8 and 9 high above decks, have gone to a fully automatic twist lock with NO pull tabs what so ever. They are designed to unlock automatically when the container is pulled strait up by the container crane, but stay locked in a rocking side to side motion. I’m not an engineer or physics major, but this seems a little iffy to me in a rough seas condition. I suspect there are several reasons to going to this type of T/L, (reduced labor, faster production, cost), but probably the main reason is that the stacks are just too high now for T/L tabs to be reached with unlocking rods using human labor. I’ve been a container crane operator since the days of manually placed and manually locked T/L’s by longshoremen that used to walk the tiers doing so. Things that would make OSHA throw a red flag in todays operations. Ships also used “bridge clamps” back in the day that would tie the entire top tier together forming one big solid Lego, if you will. Bridge clamps on todays 8 and 9 high stacks would help I’m sure, but that’s a time consuming AND dangerous task to perform that OSHA would not be happy with, and rightfully so!! I would love to see the investigative report, if any, on what actually failed on the Madrid Bridge and others incidents like hers. I still scratch my head on todays new T/L technology and have my own suspicions, but that’s just my observation’s with almost 40 years employment at the SCSPA. Bottom line tho, with the increasing amount of incidents of lost containers overboard, this needs to be addressed and addressed soon. Container ships are getting bigger and bigger! Cheers.

[@wgowshipping]

Really appreciate the comments and clarifications. It is always great to have people in the field contributing. Thanks! Sal

[@calholli]

The ships are always at port when they are being tied down; so IDK why they couldn't have climbers on ropes tied into a crane operator and he lowers them to the top deck-- keeps his crane hook high above them as a tie point and 4 or 6 guys on ropes running around the top deck doing "bridge clamps" --- and you could even lash long cables to the top corner on the outside container of each row, which would anchor each end of the "bridge", and already that would be 10x stronger than having those "autolocks alone--- which probably let go in bouncy waters anyway... I just say 4 or 6 guys, so that it's much quick and doesn't tie up the crane operator as long--- but you could still do it with 1 guy I suppose.... I mean, I've seen guys working on transmission power lines from the side of a helicopter--- hanging from a crane hook anchor with ropes and harness is not that far fetched-- and it would likely be quite fast. I climbed tress for 5 years, clearing and cutting them away from power lines and transmission lines in peoples back yards. Rope work is a well established profession. The answer seems very straight forward to me.

[@1911localfightforfreedom]

You're absolutely correct Did 15 years operating hammerheads in LA/LB.

[@sambrown8224]

Retired USCG marine inspector here and your fundamental views are true. There are a few others. Each container can hold lets use an average of 60,000 lbs give or take. The design highest stack of a containership is usually 9 high. So 9 high means that the bottom one holds up the weight of the 8 above it with the potential weight of 480,000 lbs (240 tons). Keep that in mind. Now get the ship pitching up and down in large waves and you can potentially double that weight with the shock load as the ship drops down off a large wave and bang! The bottom container crushes and now you have no connection to the ship and over they go! I've inspected hundreds of these ships and they all have one thing in common, a load plan. Heaviest weight down low and lightest ones up high. I have found several ships with lashings missing because the loaders were in a hurry. The lashers are racing against time and keeping up with the crane operator. in the end these ships have become so big that they are causing their own problems. I've had containers split open and the contents rain down on the deck below. The other issue is no one knows how the products in the containers are packed so that adds to the problem.

[@TRPGpilot]

Pounds? In 2022? What cave do you live in? . . .

[@LittleLouieLagazza]

@@TRPGpilot The Imperial Standard corner of the world, for better or worse, very clearly. No need to act like a festering A-hole about it. Especially in 2022. Now go slap yourself--you earned it. Some people's kids, SMH

[@stevedallas9529]

@@TRPGpilot Obviously not in your cave.

[@stevedallas9529]

Great explanation, thank you for taking the time to paint a picture. What if most of the containers on a ship are empty how does that effect planning, lashing and ship stability? Just asking Thank you again.

[@jemijona]

@@TRPGpilot They are the last ones to be dragged kicking and screaming into the real world. Nasa has caught up in some respects though. One day, the rest will catch up.

[@letsgobrandon6439]

On our deployment to Iraq in sep 2006 we lost one of our armory containers. We all carried our rifles, but we lost all our crew serve weapons aside from a few 249's. What a disaster.

[@stevenmiller9986]

Hi Sal, I’d never heard this explanation of the container loss problem before, but to me the solution seems way too simple. Although now after reading through the previous comments, I see that some variations of this idea have been suggested and tried before. Here goes anyway… First let me explain that earlier in life I was at one point a forklift driver moving pallets of cardboard boxed products in a warehouse, and loading them onto trucks. The boxes came off the production line in runs of uniform sizes. Rectangular boxes could be stacked interlocked on a pallet, but square boxes could not be interlocked, and the outer columns of square boxes would hang over the edge of the pallet by a couple of inches to maximize the number loaded on each pallet. This meant that the outside vertical columns of squares were especially prone to tipping and falling outward as the pallets were moved over rough floors, up and down ramps, and around corners. What we discovered was that the entire pallet of 16 vertical square columns could be secured and stabilized by simply installing banding or wrapping around only the top layer of boxes. All layers below were then held firmly in place by the weight and friction of the boxes above, which, being banded together, acted like a “cap” over all the stacks. No other banding was then needed at the lower levels in order for the entire pallet to be completely firm and stable. I don’t see why the same principle wouldn’t apply with a bay of shipping container stacks. Rather than spend lots of time and manpower trying to stiffen the outer stacks from below, simply run long tie cables transversely across several rows of each bay at the top layer only. This would effectively link and thus “solidify” the top layer, which would then keep all containers below locked vertically via their interlocking corners. It doesn’t take very much force to prevent lateral motion at the top of a freestanding stack, since the tie cables would only be stressed at all when an outermost column was thrown sideways. Otherwise the columns are lateral-force neutral, and no tensioning is needed. We actually used rubber bungee cords in the warehouse, partly for ease of fitting. Heavy duty bungees might even work well in this application, or web cargo straps, or light steel cables, depending on weight and handling requirements. Some mechanical engineers should be able to make short work of designing the needed devices using commonly available materials. Installing (and removing) the cables should be a quick, secure, clip-on operation between the containers’ corner blocks. It may only prove necessary to link the outer three or four rows of each 16-row bay to gain adequate anti-tip stability at sea. The potential is of course for lots of saved cargo, plus savings on loading/unloading time and manpower, along with lowered environmental risk. Not to mention fewer insurance and administrative headaches, and general benefits for PR and good customer relationships. I realize that since I am not an industry professional or insider, I may be missing some basic knowledge of fine points that could make this approach less practical. But it at least seems worth mentioning. Best, Steve M.

[@jeffreyhill3960]

Why not stack them the other direction. Sideways if you will.

[@garychandler4296]

I was already 5hinking that even ONE cable with turnbuckles could simply hook the top right to the top left container and eliminate tipping. The cables could have a limited stretch section as a shock absorber.

[@stevenmiller9986]

@@garychandler4296 Hi Gary, yes, I think perhaps a hidden challenge here is that the deck of the ship in rough seas may get pitched over at a fairly steep angle, and with the winds and heaving of the waves the forces on the containers can become pretty enormous, including a vertical component trying to lift them out of place at times. That and safety concerns for workers walking on the top of the stacks to install/remove cables - and the time that takes - seem to be the two main issues with our approach. Still, containers shouldn't be allowed to just fall overboard... there should be some better engineering solution possible.

[@thomasbenjamin6314]

I was on a 60' sail boat and we missed a partially sunk container by 6'. It scared the poop out of us

[@markrufener4172]

I learn so much from you. I would've added myself to a waiting list to be in your classroom. Thank you for all you do.

[@jtd8719]

The terms you're looking for, Sal, are 'inertia' and 'momentum'. The top of the stack is like an upside-down pendulum and the only thing keeping the stack from toppling at the deck line are the connections at the corners. And I can't imagine that the locking mechanisms are always in pristine working order, to boot.

[@dougowen9873]

That "risk/benefit" analysis is something all insurance companies engage in and they usually have a large stable of well paid attorneys to deal with claims. I worked as a clerk for one of the bigger insurance defense law firms in Portland, Oregon back in the 1980's, fascinating work but most of our work was with landslide claims from insured parties when the rains would come and pitch million dollar homes into the ocean on the coast. Thanks for another enlightening video on container ships.

[@ken2bad]

We are coming from the era of smaller vessels which had used bridge fittings to secure the containers in a block with the lashing and now we are building larger vessels, stacking containers higher with less securing mechanism. Once containers stacking exceed 4 height above its Lashing force we should consider using bridge fittings for the first 3 containers both port and starboard side.

[@racrx7]

Yep, I remember those days of manual locking shoes and bridge clamps. I was just commenting to my fellow operators, (many that are too young to remember bridge clamps lol), that they may need to bring back bridge clamps.

[@markkoons7488]

Very interesting. Thank you for posting this video. I live 1,500 miles from the ocean and watched because three 40' x 9' high retired containers are storing junk at my woodworking shop on Wyoming's high, semi-desert prairie. And the beat goes on.

[@shaktisiddha8414]

Thanks! Ever since the Evergreen ship debacle, you have me hooked on shipping issues!

[@jimbergen5232]

Sal, not sure if it the same today as it was years ago, but my friends family was one who arranged to sell places on ships. I had asked him about containers falling off. He said, they placed high value on the bottom or middle and all of the cheap cargo was at the ends, so if they fell off it was not a big value loss. Notwithstanding, of course weight placement.

[@jannejohansson3383]

Hazards must be up, so you can drop those at sea if catching fire, leaking, etc..

[@jimbergen5232]

@@jannejohansson3383 Good point. I was really mentioning very valuable items. They were put low and middle. Crappy stuff like dollar store stuff on the outside.

[@shermananderson700]

Sal, given that this complex problem can be identified by groups or sections and solved in batches, using the old saying that a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link (member), can the loading practices change to a procedure like airlines use for fuel and baggage planning? Gravity will always rule. I like your examples of Lego block liking to secure a structure. There are a lot of threads (thinking) that make up a load consist and the vehicle/vessel capacity that will carry that load. I enjoy the challenge of studying all the issues but I’m a long way from a comfort zone to arrive at possible solutions. I’ve spent the last 30 years as an arborist dealing with removal of trees close to buildings. The only common ground is problem solving gravity and heavy weight. Keep on top of this discussion.

[@alan6832]

Can't the loading cranes be equipped with electronics at the cables that weigh every container as it is loaded? then can't such electronics be linked directly to the load calculating computers? Also, can't the crew lash and unlash containers as the ship approaches and leaves port, rather than at the dock? or in the bay waiting to unload? except that LA doesn't have much of a protected bay. except it seems to me that sufficiently long and strong lashing cables might be to heavy for workers to lift and might need to be placed with a crane like the huge hatches on bulk carriers. Also, trucks carry just a bit over their own weight where ships, at least supertankers, carry nearly ten times their own weight. shouldn't that ratio be limited to maybe 6 times? to mandate a minimum structure to cargo ratio?

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Off loading these toppled containers must be a challenge

[@r4z0r7o3]

Very interesting and well presented. Question: Lashing or no, the bottom most containers must support the weight of everything above. So Isn't there also a stack failure-mode if/when the bottom containers collapse, making it even easier for the stack to topple?

[@EIGYRO]

Interesting video, but (assuming nit-picking mode) the 'twisted ship' scenario assumes the fore and aft losses happened simultaneously. No particular reason why that should be so. A severe parametric roll could shed the forward stack on the roll to port, followed by the aft stack on the starboard roll. A 45 degree roll each way should do it. SCARY. BTDT. But yes, the stack heights are getting crazy. I hope 25K TEUs will be the limit for containerships, like 500K DWT was for tankers. Keep the videos coming.

[@captdbj3984]

What about lashing across the top of each stack with cables from the port outermost container all the way across to the starboard outermost container? This would help to tie everything together.

[@timothyshoemaker9555]

I worked on her in Charleston. The contributing factors was poorly loaded boxes. You never put a loaded box on an empty box a perfect example is this accident.

[@sampetegorsky2429]

Thanks for commenting. I had cargo on that ship and still don't know if it was effected. Is the ship still in Charleston? Do you know where it is headed next? ONE has not been providing any info on this. The reason why they don't care is because they don't pay out at all for these damages, if you want coverage for incidents like this, you need to purchase separate insurance. Insurance claims from ONE APUS were estimated at around $300 Million If the carrier was negligent, they maybe sued by freight forwarders if they have enough of a financial stake to do so, but for the individual shipper, it isn't worth the 100k+ in legal fees to file a lawsuit. Their are freight forwarders suing ONE for the last stack collapse they had

[@predatorprey2]

I had a container on ONE APUS. Was lucky, mine didn’t fall into the ocean or damaged.

[@carneeki]

In the time taken to fit corner interlocks to all corners and lash the first 3~5 containers, I wonder if it is possible to fit a steel hook in place of the interlock (but using similar twist/untwist mechanism to fit the hook) and weave two steel cables from top of stack to cleats on the deck? I guess the next problem would be the weight of the cable - it looks like it needs to be light enough that two people can lash down a stack, but strong enough so as not to plastically deform under load.

[@johnbanton5112]

In the early seventies I did a couple of trips on a container ship. We carried 1400 containers. 6 deep below deck and up to 5 on deck. As I recall all containers even 5 high were secured with cross braces, I think we called them 'pelicans'. I don't remember ever hearing of any container losses. How times have changed!! I'm a sailor and glad I'm not sailing deep sea with the ever increasing risk of hitting a semi submerged container ! Something definately needs doing to stop this madness.

[@patrupe4499]

I learn something new every time. Thank you.

[@greeceuranusputin]

I guess then the solution would be to substantially increase the penalty of losing cargo overboard to the point they fix the problem. We can't allow them to just write-off such pollution and go on. This has to be stopped.

[@jannejohansson3383]

5.000.000$ per cont and after it's recovered, price drops to 1.000.000$. There is least one beach what is familiar with Legos.. and only one container box was full of Legos. Still every day beach is loaded, no matter that those plastic types doesn't float!

[@hyperboloidofonesheet1036]

Who issues the fines?

[@greeceuranusputin]

@@hyperboloidofonesheet1036 "Who issues the fines?" And that's the problem with corporations who have no loyalty to any country and feel they're above any laws.

[@hyperboloidofonesheet1036]

​@@greeceuranusputin It's a legitimate question. I'd like to know what legal jurisdictions are involved. As far as I know (which isn't much in this regard), a crime committed in international waters is prosecuted by the country the ship is registered to, but I have to imagine there are many other things involved.

[@HesderOleh]

@@hyperboloidofonesheet1036 I wonder if you pollute a country's coast or EEZ if that country can prosecute you.

[@thomasfleming2593]

Great schooling, now I know the dynamics of why this happens. Thank You.

[@johncone9516]

As you say,time, money but also health & safety.

[@chinmayshah739]

Knowledge when shared increases manifold, very informative video!

[@oldelmo8788]

Sal You got it backwards . Pulling down on the pigtail of a twist lock, unlocks it for discharge. They are designed to automatically lock When one box is loaded on top of another. The longshoremen must insert them into the corner castings correctly on the dock for this to happen.

[@wgowshipping]

My bad on that. I included the video with the details.

[@terrahertz5284]

Just like so many areas of our society - no accountability, no care, no incentive to prevent crazy losses and environmental damage. As someone with a couple of precious things about to take container ship voyages, seeing those stupidly barely-secured stacks makes me angry and worried.

[@GantryG]

Thanks for the explanation! 🙏

[@gottagift]

Nice discussion. Color code the containers based on weight where the heaviest are the purple and the lightest are more towards the green end of the spectrum. surely that can help simplify stacking according to weight.

[@bradfordthompson8326]

Oh wow Sal ..You bring up a interesting point....Perhaps..could they take the top 6 layers of containers like a flat bed semi truck load .Could they install Hydraulic wrenches on each side of ship at each row of containers...and use the over head containers cranes to help run cables up from the starboard side up and over and down over to Port side a tighten the cables...and like a truck load alternate from left to right of tightens cables..We do see why they only turn buckle the bottom 3-4 rows..How would they ,the crew climb 5. -10 Story tall containers walls.....WoW Sal your explanation of the containers tipping over is amazing....Thank you Sal for your neat Inspiration on this using Cables run over top of each row stacks after the containers shore cranes loads the last containers for that row.....Hopefully the cables would help prevent the outer stacks of containers falling in the water which ,like you pointed out just domino effect 😀....The inter rows.?????

[@bradfordthompson8326]

Oh Sal Back in the good oh days..You did bring up a interesting point of hull twisting We were working on a Sealand mechanical pump and remembered taking a stairway on the bridge down (We were exploring too).we were amazed how far the bottom of hull was (It reminded us of one big open barge ?)Wow...(The ship was empty in for Maintenance)

[@pkerr00]

It seems to me that if the containers were stacked perpendicular to the side of the ship it would be much more difficult to tip the stack.

[@chrisvickers7928]

The Zim Kinston lot over 100 containers overboard in rough seas of the west coast of Vancouver Island in late 2021 en route to Vancouver. A number of other containers caught fire. The Zim Kingston continued down the coast to Victoria where the fire fire was fought and eventually put out. The ship is currently being off loaded in the port of Nanaimo, 90 km north of Victoria. To date, nothing has changed with container ships. None of the containers were recovered and carried by currents are now sunk off the north coast of Vancouver Island.

[@wgowshipping]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6SmoX5_lsyaq7c

[@johnbeaulieu2404]

Another great episode, thanks Sal.

[@kevinjones6924]

Wow! Incredible video and information Sal! Thoroughly kept my attention span way up there, just as high as the highest container🤣😂! Thank you for the excellent information Sal!

[@elliotdryden7560]

Were those 45 or 53 footers in that stack? The reason I ask, is it looks like they have extensions on the ends. It follows you can load longer and heavier loads in those that might need to be accounted for. Dunno...

[@purplealice]

There have been a number of winter storms that brought snow, ice, and high winds to the eastern half of the US in the past few days. I would expect these to have caused rough weather out at sea.

[@tommussington8330]

how do they get the containers off at the port if they aren't standing upright after loosing some ?

[@wgowshipping]

It is difficult.

[@grooviefan]

Cables w hooks.

[@c567591]

Why don't they cross lash across the tops of the containers to have more lateral rigidity of the stacks? They could do this after leaving port and remove before arrival. Probably only have to do the outer couple stacks on each side.

[@joelhill4107]

Good explanation. They should be charged the same as on the road for an insecure load. Wonder how so much garbage and toxic crap ends up in the ocean? These loads are so top heavy, I wouldn't be caught dead on one of these ships. GREED!! Easy to dump excessive top loading of the ship to prevent capsizing the whole ship. Did I mention GREED!!

[@hhiser6206]

Excellent description of " carefree" shipping. Can you demand that your container is sequre? I would charge double the cost ofthe material shipped and then sue them for incompetence. Mind you this is considering that you as a customer did not sign off on the shippers incompetence in securing the shipment and dont care how they secure your stuff.. Money is the penalty for not caring to do the job correctly. Surely not all shippers operate this way, if they do thats just not exceptable .😠🤬

[@johnward5006]

Great content! Same old story going back to the earliest days shipping cargo, the more ships,the more cargo versus ship and cargo losses = profit or loss! Ship owners are still cynical gamblers!

[@mrwonk]

Do the ships not have sufficient crew to install additional lashings while underway?

[@wgowshipping]

No. Very minimal crews.

[@GNX157]

Sal, what about a single cross bar at the top row front and back, with small interconnects between boxes instead of the repeated cross lashings all the way up, once the bottom four have been established?

[@wgowshipping]

It all goes to time and cost.

[@bradfordthompson8326]

Sal have you ever did a video on how long a large Containers ships run ? It be interesting to know from all the hull twisting ,You would expect hull Cracks ??$ After 8 years or so ??

[@wgowshipping]

Modern ships have a service life of between 15 to 25 years. There are older ships out there.

[@insylem]

I did not know its was this common for the containers to fall off

[@redparrot9489]

This is such an insight into the process.

[@ramblingrob4693]

Its not just about time an money its a bout practically, there is nowhere for the lashers to stand to reach the top four containers. The holds frame work doesn't go high enough

[@steeplecab]

I wonder, as more of these losses happen and ship owner declare general average, if more and more shippers (and their insurers) will become more concerned about adequate care provided for their containers. Such concerns might put pressure on the ship owners to develop and use better container interlocking systems. Or if ship owners try to avoid declaring general average, they might see more economic advantage in taking additional precautions when securing topside cargo.

[@danielcifrian3602]

Thank you for the this educational. Why not constructing the vessel with guide cells extended to the top of the stack over deck?

[@paulsigsworth4751]

There is probably a good reason why, but could the containers be stacked horizontally across the width of the ship rather than the length of the ship. This would seem to be more stable to side to side rolling.

[@JR-bj3uf]

How much of a navigation hazard do partially submerged lost containers pose to smaller ocean going vessels?

[@wgowshipping]

There is always the possibility of hull punctures when hitting stray containers. They are more of a danger for smaller ships.

[@JR-bj3uf]

@@wgowshipping I have been reading a number of account of deep water sailors and containers (that do not sink but stay just under the surface) are a huge danger day or night. Thanks for responding!

[@luderickwong]

so…did they try using longer rods? say, tide them up in 4, like this 田 as one group and give it a X cross? hypothetically it will stable the bottom 4 stags instead of 2. if it is 9 in a group, it is going to tide up to 6 stags. of cause a longer pole is heavier, how about metal cables or fabric? if i can think it out in 5 minutes, i bet a dollar someone somewhere had already try it before, does it work?

[@briankepner7569]

I predict that you're going to see news agencies crying out that something has to be done because the Ocean is being filled up with derelict containers making the seas shallower

[@briankepner7569]

All throughout your video I was and I'm still confounded that they don't have massive straps that go over the top to bind the entire stack into one giant stack. It would be easy to remove being on a roller system. I don't know it seems like there would be a simple solution to this problem. I virtually cannot get down the highway without three straps across any load I carry or I face a fine. Two straps is fine but if one fails you have a backup. But you're right I did agree with your point that it's a cost issue. That the cost savings is probably greater than the cost of insurance on the lost containers. But my understanding from shipping products is that I had no insurance option at all for anything that I shipped. Everything in the box was my responsibility. I shipped a car to Hawaii on mersk and it came in badly damaged and there was no insurance claim to be had my personal insurance company said they weren't responsible and the shipping company said they were not responsible for the car slipping around in the car section of the boat and banging into everything else. It obviously been driven on the boat missed a turn and slammed into a wall as well. It still had the yellow paint on the bumper. So I'm not sure what the risks of liability are. Maybe that's a cool topic you could follow up with

[@ytSuns26]

How long was the shop on the water. Did the fasteners have time to work there way apart.

[@Franklin-pc3xd]

Interesting - I had an acquaintance who reportedly wrecked his sailboat hitting a floating container in the open ocean at night. Lost the boat but was rescued by a passing ship.

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

That was a Robert Redford movie.

[@xzqzq]

Makes me wonder how many containers are floating around the various oceans.

[@atelierthhun1165]

Ooh goody, more Lego! Seriously though, could an unbalanced load due to loss of boxes affect safe ship handling or dangerously stress its hull ?

[@MikeDPlxztc]

My two cents twist locks are not maintained they're not lubricated they are not inspected there have been many incidents were twistlox fell out of the bottom of a container while being loaded and injured those below many more have fallen out and luckily injured nobody but it just goes to show that they were not functional I would venture to say in these circumstances containers may have been loaded without the missing twist-lock

[@wgowshipping]

Great point Mike D.

[@grooviefan]

The stacks would not b Parallel if the cones were missing. It doesn’t happen here in the states. Maybe some other foreign port .

[@robg9236]

Chair of the department of Political Science, History, Criminal Justice and Legology.

[@wgowshipping]

I am using that.

[@waynekoepke8128]

Sal look at the bottom containers they are crushed to much weight on top the rocking if the ship in heavy weather make them crush because they are not strong enough to hold that kind of weight if they are legal weight for the US witch is 42000 thats 37800 per stack need to make the container frame stronger if it can be done .thanks Sal good job

[@wgowshipping]

The weight, cargo and stowage in containers is an issue. A stack collapse is also a possibility. It is just had to determine if the collapse happened before or after the stack fell.

[@waynekoepke8128]

@@wgowshipping thank you Sal

[@TalladegaTom]

In my layman eye, some really long and strong ratchet straps could be quickly tied down to the ship and be released just as quickly and that would reduce the problem some. Maybe it is time to get Lego into the shipping container business? ;)

[@HesderOleh]

I think, but I am also a layperson, that there could be other issues with harmonics if you try to keep the whole stack as one object. Also ratchet straps might not be able to be made that could be tightened enough that over such a long length there wouldn't be slack

[@TalladegaTom]

@@HesderOleh I dunno, in the same way one straps their gear to the top of the car, the same thing applies. It ll becomes one. Your point about length seems valid though. Maybe winches that could tighten the straps sufficiently could do the trick. One other idea might be to run the straps down and through the entire stack through guides that currently do not exist on containers as opposed to simply over the top. I'm secure in my ideas from right here in my recliner. :)

[@dacomazielsdorf7618]

Just do the first 3 or so each side like the ship in the example that would be 3 left 3 right and the 10 centered be free that be 2 ratchets about 80 foot long per row .. or could do a u shaped and drop them in the holes in the corners of the top

[@michaelschneider2874]

Hey Mate that first pic ! Starboard !!! Side .

[@chara12345]

Maybe they oughta consider having a couple crew to take care of lashing and unlashing those top containers during the voyage. P.s do containers just sink? And who has to clean them up?

[@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe8783]

So if they're writing this off and you come across these things, can you keep what you find if it's salvageable? Thanks for your videos! 😁👍

[@letsgobrandon6439]

Somewhere in the pacific is a fully loaded armorers conex with every goodie combat arms brings to war. I always believed it was just stolen but they claim its in the ocean. Might be a bit rusty as it fell in 2006

[@bye7555]

Why they don't use tie down straps like they use on flat bed trucks???

[@robertkreamer7522]

At s charge of 20 thousand a container shipping cost versus 2500 a few years ago they need to take a bit more time or find a better weight communication method . Long shoremen arrive to work in Porsche 911 and they deserve the pay but let’s get better are weight management

[@jimlambrick4642]

Still amazes me that this should that hard a problem to solve. Basically bulkheads frames on the outside, possibly installed as stack is completed. And lashed straight across the top. All you'd have to do is stop the sway motion. We load log ships up here in BC... basically a stack of rollers and do exactly that, lash across the top. The real problem is the ridiculous size of these ships and all the infrastructure that has to be designed around a bunch of big business greed.

[@calholli]

All they would have to do is lash the very outside top corners with long cables, and that would be more than enough to hold them.

[@jkinkamo]

Thanks, cool review.

[@xzqzq]

Darn interesting.

[@gordbaker896]

Good info. 10 min video tops.

[@manatee2500]

What do the P&I clubs say in their circulars? What about the classification societies?

[@wgowshipping]

www.standard-club.com/knowledge-news/article-container-stack-collapses-causes-and-solutions-1615/

[@SubTroppo]

Ooowee! How about an interview with the insurance companies that cover the losses or the Federal official responsible for the Coast Guard who allow these vessels to dock? If you are to develop this channel you'll need to do more than gather from available news sources. Now I'm going to see what Lloyd's List has to say (if it still exists).

[@wgowshipping]

How about with a maritime attorney that represents them?

[@jdlambert8]

Wouldn't it be more effective to put straps across the top containers from one side to the other, instead of cross straps?

[@wgowshipping]

Just a matter of time as it would slow offload.

[@jdlambert8]

@@wgowshipping Thanks for the reply, but couldn't they remove top straps as they approach the port and the dangers of rough seas are gone?

[@wgowshipping]

@@jdlambert8 They have limited crew on board and most are involved on docking the vessel. Plus the straps to hold 20 ton containers - from 8 to 24 containers across would have to be sizable and beyond the capability of a crewman.

[@palladini9718]

I can see them adding an empty container, may 2 or 3 on one stack, and the ones above are very heavy you are going to have issues

[@andydelarue9344]

The insurance companies will final fix this by demanding the secure loading and transportation, easy.

[@brentfedak4058]

Very informative video

[@sligacheese6470]

Look at the google barge. It can slide containers off its sloped decks that drop down to allow the container to slide off Why I don’t know 🤷‍♂️

[@HelloNotMe9999]

Why do containers fall off ships? Answer: because they are not secured properly. Perhaps they shouldn’t stack them 6 stories above the top of the deck?

[@veo1960]

At 9:57: To unlock them, you pull DOWN or to either side.

[@wgowshipping]

Yep...my mistake.

[@rcrell]

Thanks Sal, so it’s all economics and you better have insurance that covers the General Average costs or those containers that are left make up the cargo loss before your goods are released to you Really seems to me the shipping container companies are passing the buck onto the cargo owners here. If they were liable you know they would spend the extra effort to lash them all or have their own insurance Have also heard some of these containers actually remain floating and pose a navigation hazard to smaller fiberglass fishing vessels say under 65 feet have been known to hit them and rip the bottoms right off and sink immediately Crazy world we live in always somebody else’s problem

[@Fatspurios]

Thanks.

[@David-rn4nf]

Containers fall off of ships because the shipping companies don't really care if they do. It would be way more expensive to guarantee this never happens then to just pay for the cargo they lose. As these ships keep getting bigger the number of containers you can lose before you're losing money is increasing. Nobody makes the shipping companies pay for the environmental damage of dumping garbage into the ocean.

[@kpdvw]

So the obvious solution for container loss/collapse is diagonal lashing from the top outside container to the opposite side @ deck level and vice versa..!

[@wgowshipping]

The solution is not really the issue. The problem is that they won't do it because the loss is cheaper than the time it takes to do this on every ship.

[@TargaWheels]

You would think the containers in the front and back would be the first to fall.

[@gerardjohnson2106]

It would be so simple for the cranes handling the containers to automatically transmit weight of each container to the ship. If a specific container is out of spec for its assigned weight in a load sequence it could be rejected or computer program could redirect to another position.

[@obfuscated3090]

Containers were designed long before modern stack heights. The corner fittings and container strength appear marginal for the heaviest uses but no replacement can be fielded because that would break compatibility with existing systems. The container enables but also restricts. Containers should have been designed to facilitate cross-connection but that's no longer practical.

[@freddybee4029]

Bottom line, is neglect, greed, and just don’t give a Shit. This is the reson the whole dam world is going to POT.

[@ablemagawitch]

Another Gcaptain fan....

[@sighpocket5]

Nice!!!!!

[@jockojohn3294]

Why can't the containers be designed to interlock a whole lot better? Is it always about money and time? Seem like a competent experienced engineer could design the boxes to interlock, or to design quick locks to be inserted into the corners of the containers before loading and popped off as the container gets offloaded to a truck or goes to stacking. Just use the pop off locks on the upper stacks. Seems like the shipping/insurance industry has developed the attitude of who cares about this stuff, insurance and the public will pay for it anyway, we just need to keep moving containers. Seems like some airlines had/have the same attitude...keep those planes in the air, and if we lose a few we can have out crying towel team go on TV, the insurance co. can cover the loss, lawsuits, and we keep making money.....

[@HesderOleh]

I suggest you look into how hard it was to get people to start using containers in the first place. To try to get a whole supply chain to move to a new standard is crazy hard. You would have to make sure it was backward compatible, but also still wouldn't be useful unless you got ALL your containers on a boat using it.

[@WowIndescribable]

Seriously? They can't even attach the top containers together?

[@UncleKennysPlace]

_That's_ why my Chinese Fish Soap hasn't made it here yet.

[@tomh6183]

The answer to the question,GRAVITY.

[@jimhowes2983]

So that's why my package tracking has been showing the South China sea for the last 4 months.

[@bigbob1699]

Why? the ship is loaded too top heavy and used low quality bungee cords.

[@imdeplorable2241]

So, it comes down to, "Time is money," huh? How about the money the insurers are shelling out and the time lost by the customers by not receiving their products?

[@wgowshipping]

The problem is while this is a fascinating issue, in terms of the number of containers falling overboard versus the number delivered it is a very small issue.

[@starfoxjee1925]

It happened ONE shipping company they are Japanese shipping company and all shipping containers ships made in Japanese shipyard. They must be designed flaws. Noting wrong with bending. Why only happen ONE containers Ships?

[@wgowshipping]

It has happened to other companies.

[@michaelgee9268]

An example of how to give 5 minutes of information in 22 minutes.